The 2026 National Book Festival will be held in the nation's capital on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (doors open at 8:30 a.m.). The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are required. A selection of programs will be livestreamed online, and videos of all programs will be available shortly after the festival.

Hosted by the Library of Congress at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Allen Y. Lew Place, NW, Washington, DC. Learn more here.